The Great Four
by xHadesChildx
Summary: A mysterious boy named Nico Di Angelo wanders out into the open and is found, and saved, by Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase and Thalia Grace, who are all on the run. Percabeth and Thalico. A story of friendship, love and an amazing adventure.
1. Escape

**A/N: Well .. Hi? (: Yes, I know I haven't updated ANYTHING for almost a year. I will be discontinuing my other stories, unless I get an urge to update, so don't hope. I'm sorry …**

**Well, I've decided to try something new. Recently, I became more and more obsessed with Percy Jackson and the Olympians and the Heroes of Olympus series. Here's the consequence of that obsession! Hope I get to finish this one, and all goes well. **

**Also, as you can see, I'm writing under a new pen name. No problems, I hope? **

**xHadesChildx**

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**Chapter 1 – Escape**

There was a distant growling, a rumbling that followed me wherever I went. I was used to it by now. When the noise became a certain pitch or volume, there would be monsters that appeared. These monsters would attack me as I fended them off, making the earth rumble beneath my feet, causing fissures in the ground, at times. I was only ten; well at least I looked that way. As a matter of fact, I was over a hundred years old, if you were to think about it, but I would not think that way.

The growling of the monsters grew louder as I sighed, plucking up the energy to face them with a deep grey dagger. I wore a midnight black cloak and black skinny jeans. I had been dressed like this for days, without the opportunity to change. Soon, two figures with writhing hair came into view. Two women with snakes for hair. _Gorgons,_ I immediately thought, although I had no idea how I knew. _The sisters of Medusa_, my brain supplied, much to my dismay. _Well, this would certainly go well_, I thought sarcastically whilst mentally preparing myself for battle.

I parried their blows but failed miserably in even getting near to stabbing them. I knew I was dead for sure, as one of the two had me by the throat, when a soft feminine voice called, "Hello," from behind.

Both gorgons spun their heads to see the newcomer, so I kicked out, freeing myself from their grip. As I looked up, I saw a boy with messy hair, a blonde, intelligent-looking girl and another girl with spiky black hair and a punk-like dress sense. It was the blonde one that had spoken, but the spiky-haired girl was looking at me with obvious concern. The boy eyed the monsters, with..._was that a pen?!_ I swear it was a pen in his hand; however, I could not be sure because, as soon as I blinked, there was a sword there.

As the blonde girl and the boy each fought a gorgon each, the other girl came towards me. At that point, I was shaking and just realised how tired I was from the fight. The girl approaching me probably guessed that I was worn out, so she picked me up as if I weighed nothing and nimbly ran away from the scene, bringing me to safety.

At that moment, I closed my eyes, enjoying the feeling of being in her arms, flying across the streets and not actually feeling scared or threatened, for just this once in my life. It was, for the first time in my life, as if I was free, as if I was flying. I was safe, free and feeling like it was heaven.

_*FLASHBACK*_

_Jabbing, stabbing and kicking to get free. I fought as hard as I had ever done, knowing that surely, I'd die, that this would be my last fight. The snakes hissed upon both their heads, lurching forward with their tongs extended, attacking in sync with those gruesome feminine bodies. They stank from sweat and dirt, as if they had worked for all their lives, but could not do much to cleanse themselves. It was disgusting, but that was the least of my worries. If I was to live, they had to die._

_A well placed kick connected with the skull of one, but she got up way to quickly, as if the attack barely hit. My dagger slashed at the other's snake hair, cutting them off by the hundred, blood splattering everywhere, when they both advanced, too in sync than was humanly possible. _

_But they weren't human._

_*END FLASHBACK*_

I awoke, screaming, as I had legitimately thought it had happened again.

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**A/N: Well, this is kinda a prologue, so yes, it is meant to be this short. Don't worry, future chapters will definitely be longer! :D **

**Hope you enjoyed this. R&R! **

**- xHadesChildx**


	2. Reminiscence

**A/N: Here's the next chapter! :) Thank-you to SummerSpirit18, who was both the first follower and reviewer! Feedback much appreciated. **

**Also, thanks to Daownlyone for ideas and help on this story and also for the name (: Oh, and go check out his stories (for Pokemon)! **

**Disclaimer *which I forgot to do last chapter*: I do not own Percy Jackson or Heroes of Olympus. All rights are reserved by Rick Riordan.**

**Chapter 2 – Reminiscence**

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**Lost Boy's P.O.V. **

"A-are you, are y-you… okay?" A girl asked. It sounded distant and fading, but soon, I could hear her breathing. It grew stronger as my soul strengthened. I had been through many things, but not much was like what I had just experienced. It was as if the life was seeping out of my pores, as if I was slowly dying. Yet, miraculously, the feeling had stopped. I was brought back to life. The life had come back, had slowly filed back into my body, had revitalised me.

I tried to open my eyes, however they would not open. I tried forcing them open with all my strength, but they just would not open. It was as if someone had stuck them together. Hopefully, this was not the case.

"Are you awake?" The same feminine voice asked as I felt a hand grab mine. Suddenly, my heart began to beat faster. _Was that the girl's hand in mine?_

Finally, I could open my eyes, but the light was blinding, as I had to shut them immediately again. There was white, white everywhere. After what seemed like ages, I got the nerve to try again. This time, it was better, but not by much. After numerous attempts, my eyes had finally adjusted to the light and were ready for the sights of the outside world. However, I realised that by the time my eyes could be opened, the day had grown dark, so I saw nothing but a faint, flickering candle on a table near where I lay.

Turning my head slowly, but painfully, I noticed a feminine figure sitting on a hardback wooden chair beside me, my hand in hers as she slept. I couldn't help but smile as I looked at the girl. She had perfect skin and choppy, black hair and a small smile played at her lips, no doubt that it was because of a pleasant dream. As I felt the warmth of her hand in mine, I stroked the back of it, feeling the soft skin on mine. Her presence made me feel happy, even though it was silent and dark and this woman was the first to ever do such a thing since the death of my mother and sister. It pained me to think about them. I had run away from home, away from my stepfather who did nothing but get himself drunk and occasionally sexually abuse my sister, when she was alive, and I. Our mother had passed away when I was only a few years old, leaving us with this monster. My sister, Bianca, and I had sworn we would run away together, one day, report the man to the authorities and then live together. That dream had never happened and it pained me to think of Bianca's death. She was the only one in my life that I had trusted everything with, the only one I could talk to. She was my big sister, whom of which I relied on so much. What happened to her, I could never speak of again.

**Mystery Girl's P.O.V.**

With a sharp intake of breath, I yawned, attempting to stretch my arms upwards. It was then that I realised my hand was blocked by an object. As this was new and unexpected, my eyes flew open to see my hands in that of a young boy. His fingers were wrapped around mine, his thumb on the back of my hand. He couldn't be any older than 13, yet his face showed the fatigue of someone that was much older.

_What had he been through, to cause this change?_ I wondered to myself, however, I had a feeling I'd never find out.

It was then that I realised I had slept on a chair with my hand inside this strange boy's the entire night. My neck was stiff and sore as I blushed with embarrassment and carefully, and regretfully, removed my hand from his hold, hoping he had not woken during the night. My friends and I had found him yesterday, battling two vicious monsters and had brought him back to our residence not far away. As I watched the young boy sleep, I thought about how he could've been left in the situation that he was, however I did not know. It was obvious he was one of us, who attracted monsters and seemed to have special powers.

I sighed and got up to get ready for the day ahead. I had a feeling this would be a long day.

**Nico's P.O.V.**

I heard her sigh and agile footsteps leading away. When I was sure she was gone, I opened my eyes, as a blush crept to my cheeks. I had fallen asleep last night while stroking her hand and was awoken by her movement; however, I was not ready to face these ridiculously nice strangers who seemed not much older than I.

Sitting up slowly, I surveyed my surroundings, while my head spun. I was on a small single bed, one side facing a pale cream wall, the other to the rest of the small room. There was a desk in one corner and a door in the other. The chair beside me looked as if it had come from the desk. There was also a small, wooden closet and a worn, matching bedside table. All of this was placed upon a soft, creamy coloured carpet. As much as I wanted to walk outside, through the door and into what could possibly be freedom, I waited. A feeling in my gut told me that this place was safe, the people here were nice and the girl would soon return. Everything will work out perfectly.

At the end of that train of thought, the girl from last night came back in and saw me sitting on the bed. Her hair was wet and she dressed in casual, black clothes, showing that she had probably just showered or something.

"Hi," she greeted warmly, looking over me in my current dishevelled state.

"Um, hi," I replied, "I'm Nico. Nico Di Angelo."

She blinked twice, and then spoke. "I'm Thalia Grace. Are you okay? You seemed to have collapsed quite suddenly last night."

Her words were kind, however her expression showed that she knew she had asked quite a large multitude of questions.

I nodded in assent, "Yes, I'm fine, thanks for helping me."

She smiled and sat beside me on the bed as we discussed our lives. She told me that her friends were Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson. All three of them had been like me, chased by monsters and had found each other and stuck together for safety. They were like family.

For a moment, I felt a twinge of jealousy. Three kids who had led a hard childhood life had formed together and now considered to be family. This only showed that family didn't necessarily mean blood, but it definitely meant love. From what I had heard, these three had always looked out for each other, had always helped each other when the other was in need. _Just like Bianca and I used to do_, I thought sadly.

"Nico, you're a apart of our family now," Thalia said quietly, all of a sudden, as if she could sense my emotions.

I gasped, looking up at her, surprised. "M-me?" I asked uncertainly, "but all I did was cause you inconvenience in having to save and accommodate me. Are you sure?"

Of course I wanted to be accepted into their makeshift family, but was I really the perfect little addition to whatever hardships they already had?

"Yes, Nico, I'm sure," Thalia smiled back, genuinely happy in my presence. I nodded and smiled back, enjoying the silence that didn't last for long.

"Now, let's get you cleaned up so you can meet the others!" Thalia said, brightly, moments later. Smiling, I let her lead me out of the room to the bathroom. It was only then that I realised how long I had gone without showering, or cleaning myself in any way at all.

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**A/N: Well, there you have it! I will be focusing mostly on Nico and his life, occasionally Thalia too, but not as much on Percabeth, however I promise that there will still be chapters in there dedicated to Percabeth. **

**So, what do you think happened to Bianca, to cause her death? **

**When will Thalia and Nico officially get together, like Percy and Annabeth?**

**And, what will Percy and Annabeth think of the child of the dead? **

**Please R&R! **

**Also, just to let you know, my chapters will not be consistent in length. I assume it's understandable that the first chapter was shorter than the current one; however, future chapters have a chance of being either longer than this by a small amount, or shorter than this, depending on what I need/want to put in. **

**- xHadesChildx**


	3. Introductions

**A/N: Here's the new chapter! This one is mainly a filler, for when Nico is introduced to Percy and Annabeth, so it's going to be quite short. Sorry about that. Or was the last chapter too long? **

**Thanks for reviewing and please enjoy this one! :)**

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**Chapter 3 – Introductions**

Thalia and Nico made their way to the bathroom, so that Thalia could assist Nico in getting the remaining dirt out of his hair. Yesterday, after bringing Nico back to the apartment, Thalia had tried her best to clean his face and upper body, however, it was hard to know when she was hurting him or not, therefore leaving the only option to wait.

Now that he was awake, Thalia grabbed a damp cloth and began to dab at Nico's face, removing bits of caked mud and other grime. At the end of the cleaning session did Thalia finally notice how pale Nico was. He was ghostly white, much like an albino without the red eyes. His skin was smooth, giving off a childish look; however, Nico did not remind Thalia of a child. Not at all.

She continued cleaning Nico off, dabbing the cloth down his neck and onto his chest. Only halfway through did she realise what she was doing and blushed furiously, handing Nico the cloth in a gesture to make him clean himself. Nico chuckled and then proceeded to remove his shirt to clean off his body. It was then that Thalia noticed that the time Nico had spent alone had made him skinnier, but had also toned him quite nicely. She blushed even more furiously and turned away.

Soon, Nico had completely cleaned himself and was ready to get some new clothes. Thalia led him to the room of a boy, presumably the one with eyes like the sea and messy, dark hair. She opened his closet quickly, as he wasn't even in the room, and picked out what she thought would suit him best.

It was a black t-shirt with a pair of grey jeans and black high tops with white laces. Dark clothes, for some reason, it was the type of clothes Nico would never be able to imagine on the other boy, yet he still had these. It was perfect. Nico quickly grabbed the clothes and went back to the bathroom to change. Within minutes, he was out and looking…well stunning, at least to Thalia!

"C'mon, let's go introduce you to the others!" Thalia said happily.

**Nico's P.O.V.**

I fit snugly into the clothes Thalia had chosen for me and I was ready to meet the others, yet I felt like I didn't belong, still. Whatever Thalia said, it was still as if I had intruded on their happy little family of three. Since I was probably an amateur compared to them, I knew I would be a nuisance, especially at first, never knowing what to do or how the group worked. I am a solo man and never in my life had I needed the skill of working in a team, yet staying here with these people screamed everything to do with teamwork. It was obvious that the two I still had to meet were a great team, taking on those gorgons together, having each other's back the entire time. It wouldn't even be surprising if they had been training like this all their lives! I shuddered at the memory of that horrific day.

Suddenly, I felt ridiculously nervous in meeting them all of a sudden. Thalia was nice, she was hospitable and caring, but what if the others weren't like that? Did they have more who weren't here? Would the others accept me, regardless of what Thalia had said earlier? I was freaking out in my own thoughts, my own doubts. Shaking my head vigorously to clear it, a few strands of hair fell in front of my face. Almost immediately, Thalia reached up and put it back into place, then blushed, realising what she had done, and quickened her pace while turning red. I chuckled lightly, then realised this was the second time today that I had laughed and the first two times laughing in my entire life. Both times were an influence of Thalia.

**Thalia's P.O.V.**

I quickened my pace to the living room, cheeks burning after realising what I had done. Why had I done that? No clue.

The door was closed to the living room, so I opened it gingerly and looked inside, just to be greeted with Percy and Annabeth making out on the couch. _EWWWW! _Quickly, I shut the door again, averting my gaze and trying to not scream. This wasn't the first time I walked in on their make-out sessions, but it was still awkward.

"Come in," Percy's voice called. _Oh, I was in so much trouble for not knocking…_

I noticed Nico followed me in, as I made my way to the other couch on the other side of the room. Before either of the couple had time to complain about me, I started the introductions.

"Nico, this is Percy and Annabeth, Percy and Annabeth, this is Nico. He's like us, with no home to go to, and well, he's our family now," I introduced, then realising I had nothing more to say about Nico.

"Hi, nice to meet you!" Percy and Annabeth greeted at the same time, and then laughed._ Oh, those two were so cute together!_

"Hi, nice to meet you too…" Nico replied all dark and guarded again, just like how he was once before. The couple nodded and an awkward silence followed.

"So, uh, I bet you're all hungry! I'll go make breakfast!" I said, getting up and making my way out just to get away from the awkwardness.

"I'll come help," I heard Nico's voice say, but I turned.

"No, I think it's better if you stay and talk with Percy and Annabeth, Nico. Get to know them and everything, you know? They're nice people…even though they can be weird sometimes."

"HEY, WE HEARD THAT!" Came Percy's shout from the living room. With a light chuckle, I pushed Nico gently back and he went agreeably.

_Now, what to make for breakfast._

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**A/N: Ended up longer than I anticipated, but that's okay! I guess it took me forever to even get to the intros, and well, halfway through writing, I felt the need to add a small Thalico moment! **

**Be happy that this is an early chapter, since I'm not actually meant to upload this until three days from now, in order to follow my regular updating patterns (weekly updates), but I'm nice, so here you are! **

**Please be nice too and R&R! Your reviews and feedback is greatly appreciated, honestly. Thanks.**

**- xHadesChildx**


	4. Past

**A/N: Well, I seemed to have acquired an unfortunate case of writer's block, just as the Christmas break started. I'll try to write as much as possible though :) This chapter is a bit short, compared to the rest, but I guess it's just a filler chapter mainly about Nico. Anything you awesome readers want to see, please leave in a review and I will try my best to incorporate into the story! Er, since I don't have anything better to write anyways.**

**Thanks for the reviews and follows.**

**- xHadesChildx**

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**Chapter 4 – Past**

It had been many weeks since Nico had first joined Thalia, Percy and Annabeth. As he always had, he was feeling just as left out as ever. Well, these people were better than the rest, Nico had mused many times, however they still weren't perfect. That was with the exception of Thalia, who was treating him ridiculously nicely. As obtusely foreign as this feeling felt, Nico had a feeling in his gut that he liked Thalia. No, not liked. He loved Thalia and he wanted her to be his.

_Whoa, where had that thought come from?!_

Nico discovered that, although they had a semi-permanent apartment, the three always moved around and only returned every week or so, at the most. Apparently, they had gone three months without returning, as they had travelled to places far away from here. Recently though, maybe due to their new recruit, they had stayed in the local area, possibly so that if Nico got injured, they would be able to return quickly.

Much to the three's great surprise, Nico was an excellent fighter; very skilled and had great agility. It was just as if he had been fighting all his young life, which in fact, he kind of had.

After his mother had died of some unknown sickness, as she had refused to go to the doctors, Nico and his sister, Bianca, had been left with their stepfather as their primary caretaker. It wasn't long after their mother's death that their stepfather had begun to abuse both Nico and Bianca. Day after day, they would put up with their stepfathers abuse, which turned from verbal to physical. Only months after having gashes and bruises all over their tired, fragile bodies, he had started to sexually abuse them, especially Bianca. Almost every single day, they would both be abused to the extent where they would collapse the minute they were left alone.

Nico, who ended up sleeping in the same quarters as Bianca, would promise her, every night, that one day, they would get out of here. They had both tried escape, many, many times, however, they were always caught and punished with a heavier dose of abuse. Soon, they were beaten to the extent where going to school wasn't an option and even when they did; it was forbidden tell anyone what happened at home. Their stepfather made sure of that.

It was the night before one of their many planned runaways that the most dreaded and feared thing happened. It was the unspeakable. Only Nico could have remembered it so vividly, the deep anger and rage he felt at the time and the everlasting sadness he felt since. Nico could barely remember what had happened that night as rage blinded him, almost literally. He swore he would one day take revenge for Bianca, for she was lost the force of what Nico called _'The Evilness of Humanity'_.

Of course, Nico would not share his thoughts, especially such deep thoughts and memories like this, with anyone. Sure, Thalia was more than a sister to him and Percy and Annabeth were really like family, he had only just met them. Yes, a few months could be known as just. He couldn't trust them just yet, they would have to prove themselves worthy if they wanted to know the story of Nico's past. Nico wasn't scared of his stepfather coming after him, for he had run away at the cost of Bianca over a month year ago, however, he had never fit in with anyone and was scared that he would be rejected if they knew of his true background. He had never fit in before, mainly since he was very quiet and reserved around people, but Nico couldn't help it. He just wasn't cut out to be social.

Ever since running away, Nico discovered that he would be attacked, on a regular basis, by weird creatures. The creatures were half one animal, half another, creatures with weird body parts and many other weird, otherworldly beings. Soon, he had acquired a dagger to wield, and somehow, he was skilled at it, despite never having used any sort of weapon in the past.

Nico was glad he had the natural ability to wield his dagger and was able to defeat these monsters he encountered so often. They appeared more and more often as long as Nico was alone, which was for over a year of his life. There was not a monster he couldn't defeat, although many were just a close scrape. Soon, for some unknown reason, Nico began to be able to unconsciously identify the creatures. A few months after leaving his home, he found the power of controlling the ground beneath him, but only when feeling extreme, pure anger, which was a handy power since it was easiest to just let a fissure swallow the monster whole. It was not so handy if there was a second monster attack that day, however, as a stunt that huge required ridiculously large amounts of energy.

At first, Nico regarded this powers as strange, weird and scary, but after a while of seeing various kinds of monsters and being able to do what could be said as "godly" things, he was used to it. Well, no, he was never used to always having to defeat monsters just to stay alive, because surely, no other kid his age would have to do that, but Nico was tired. He didn't have the time to ponder things like this when his life was at stake. It wasn't as if thinking about it would change anything, so he just went along with everything that was thrown at him, day after day, knowing that soon, he wouldn't be able to live like this anymore. Luckily, he was saved.

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**A/N: Well that turned out longer and deeper than I originally thought, but like I said, it was only a filler. Keep in mind that the other characters (Thalia, Annabeth and Percy) don't know about it yet. **

**Any suggestions on when they should find out about it or who first? **

**Please leave your thoughts and suggestions in a review! :)**

**- xHadesChildx**


	5. Meeting

**A/N: Heyy guys, here's the next chapter. **

**Hmm, am I the only one that noticed the lack of reviews? :( I know many people read it and quite a number of them follow the story, however, can you please take the time to merely type a few words? Please? I really don't want to start using the thing where you have to have a certain amount of reviews before I update, because I do this for fun, but it is the reviews that keep me going most of the time.**

**On that note, I'd like to thank SummerSpirit18 for constantly reviewing. Your support is hugely appreciated. Thanks so much! :)**

**Here is the next chapter and I am seriously unsure of how to proceed, seriously running out of ideas. Sorryy! Oh, and the characters may seem a bit (um, possibly very) OOC in this chapter at the least, and possibly will remain that way in the future. Sorry if you don't like it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or the Heroes of Olympus. All rights are reserved by Rick Riordan.**

**- xHadesChildx**

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**Chapter 5 – Meeting **

Over half a year after Nico had joined Thalia, Annabeth and Percy, it seemed as if the monsters grew less, instead of more. This certainly surprised them, for they assumed that the more of them that were together, the more monsters there would be, as that was how it was before, as they banded together.

It wasn't as if Nico was a good luck charm or anything, since it took quite a while for it to work, if he had been.

A small, desperate part of Thalia thought that it could be help. _HELP. _Every night, Thalia would pray to the gods, whichever ones that would listen to her, just for help to be sent. Sure, Thalia loved her companions and wanted to help them and be with them as much as she could, however, it's undeniable that sometimes, even the bravest, even the strongest, needed a break. This time, it was Thalia who needed, and definitely deserved, that break. It was her only wish to be able to rest for some time in a shelter without having to constantly be on the run, without having to be alert, even in her sleep. Without having to be ready to leave in a short moment's notice.

Thalia just wanted to be free and be protected for once, not helping to protect others.

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All four kids had noticed that there was something different about them, in comparison to what they assumed to be normal. It wasn't only Nico, who was able to open fissures in the ground. Thalia had the power of the sky and she felt powerful during storms, especially when lighting was involved. According to Percy and Annabeth, she had once controlled lightning to defeat a monster but passed out immediately afterwards. Thalia claimed that it never happened. Percy was a master of the waters. He was able to move with great stealth and strength in the sea and was also a great fisherman. It was almost as if he could control the fish, persuade them into his net. Annabeth, well she didn't have a special power like the others, but she certainly had the brains. With just about every battle, she was able to plan a fail-proof strategy on her feet. Nobody, as far as they knew, was smarter than Annabeth.

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On that one fateful day, Thalia's dream came true.

Around noon, there was a slight tapping on the door of their apartment, which they had retired back to after a few months on the run. Immediately, the residents tensed, expecting monsters to come barging in any second, but they didn't. The only thing was a second tap.

"It's probably just some mortal salesman," Percy argued reasonably, standing up.

"But Percy, what if it isn't? What if it is a monster, or something worse, and this is all a trap?!" Annabeth asked, scared of the fate of her boyfriend.

"It's fine, everything will be fine. If it was a monster, it would've already come in by now, so it obviously isn't. I'll just go get the door like a regular mortal would, in case it is a human," Percy replied soothingly, making his way to the door.

Annabeth nodded, but still looking as if it wasn't safe.

As Percy cautiously opened the door, he saw a lone, human figure. He seemed to be short and smelled much like nature itself. Trees, flowers, everything natural.

"Hi," Percy attempted.

"Hello, are you Perseus Jackson?" The figure at the door asked.

Startled, Percy backed up and almost closed the door.

"H-how d-do you know m-my name?"

"Oh, I forgot to explain. Sorry. I'm Grover. Grover Underwood. I'm a satyr. Don't worry, I'm a good guy and definitely not here to attack you. In fact, I'm here to protect you and take you to camp."

"What? Protect me? Protect me from what and take me to what camp? What are you talking about?" Percy rambled, seriously scared about how this random person knew of the monster attacks now. "Satyr," Percy mused, "that's half human, half goat, right?"

"Yes, it is. Percy… how do I put this? Percy, you are a demigod."

"I'm sorry, WHAT?" He replied, louder than intended. The others came rushing up to the door to see what was happening.

"Oh, hi guys. I was just telling Percy here that he is a demigod. You guys are, too, and I'm Grover Underwood, a satyr here to protect you."

Thalia's breath quickened as she eyed this man. Well, this goat-boy. She had no idea how she knew what a satyr was, since it wasn't as if she studied anything that had anything to do with them in her life, but she just knew. It was one of those times where she just knew things. Her wishes, her dreams for so long, they had come true.

Only after a short moment, Thalia came to her senses and realised that this could easily be a trap.

"What is a demigod?" Thalia asked.

"A demigod is the child of a god and a mortal. You know Greek mythology? Like, Zeus and Poseidon and stuff? They're real and they still exist. Olympus moves along with where western civilisation is and right now, it is at the top of the Empire State Building in New York," Grover explained to the four children in front of him as they stared back with looks of shock on their faces.

"So… you're saying we are children of the gods?" Annabeth questioned, being the fastest to process this.

Grover nodded in response.

"Well, that certainly explains a lot of things, like how these three can control different elements and stuff, but how am I a demigod? It's not like I have any special powers like my friends," Annabeth asked, feeling kind of left out.

"Not all demigods have to have special powers, you know," Grover replied.

Annabeth nodded, "So, what was this camp you just mentioned?"

"ANNABETH!" Percy cried, "How could you just accept that so easily? Didn't you hear him? He said we're children of the gods!"

"Yes Percy, I heard what he said," Annabeth retorted stiffly. He could tell she, too, was stressed by this entire ordeal, but she put on a brave face and continued to get more information, just like any child of Athena would.

"Camp Half-Blood. It is a protected place where children like yourselves can train whilst being in a safe environment. Monsters can't attack the camp, since we have a special enchantment around its borders," Grover informed.

Monsters. They had been attacked by monsters for practically all their lives, more and more as they grew older. How would a normal person know about such attacks? Annabeth concluded that this man was telling the truth and there would be no harm in following.

"Hmm, alright. So, take us to this camp you speak about," Annabeth responded, then glaring at everyone pointedly to say that her decision was final.

Not in the mood to argue, they all followed the goat who hailed a taxi, except it was no ordinary taxi. They drove like crazy maniacs whilst arguing and were definitely not paying attention to the road, but got them to their destination nonetheless.

They were all thankful when they lived at the end of that experience.

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**A/N: Next chapter will be about when they first arrive at camp! :) **

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter and please leave a review. I will be uploading faster, as it is the holidays, too, so the more suggestions, the better.**

**Thanks! R&R!**

**Oh yeah. I've made an account on LiveJournal, where I will be posting updates (especially when I can't update as often) on my progress, new story ideas etc. www. xhadeschildx .livejournal .com (remove the spaces) Please check it out, as it will definitely be useful when I'm writing more stories (and oneshots) in the future (which I will definitely start to do). Thanks !**

**- xHadesChildx**


	6. Camp

**A/N: Merry Christmas guys! :D Thanks for reading and reviewing. Here is the chapter for when they reach camp! Enjoy and please leave a review! **

**Oh, also, just as a clarification, Nico is 12 and Thalia, Annabeth and Percy are all 14. Sorry if there was any confusion. **

**Also, there is mention of a new story idea in my A/N at the bottom, so please read it! :) Thanks.**

**- xHadesChildx**

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**Chapter 6 – Camp**

Grover led Annabeth, Percy, Thalia and Nico towards what he called "The Big House" where they would meet a guy named Chiron as well as the director of the camp, if he was there. Commonly known as Mr. D, it surprised the four to learn from Grover that he was actually Dionysus, the god of wine and drama, who was banished to Camp Half-Blood as a punishment.

Percy and Annabeth, hand in hand, looked around in awe, contemplating their future here. They were only teenagers, but with what they had been through, it was as if they had the experiences of any normal adult older than them.

Thalia, also looking around in awe, was blissful, to say the least. Camp Half-Blood would protect her and her friends so she could more or less relax. Well, that was until she remember something Grover said on the way here about training…

Nico saw people and he knew very well he didn't and wouldn't get along with people. Sighing, he trudged after the others to meet Chiron, but not completely pleased with having to be acquainted with so many others of his species.

As they reached The Big House, they saw a man in a wheelchair, certainly not what was expected.

"Chiron, here are the new additions I told you about," Grover reported.

"Thank you Grover, you may leave," Chiron nodded, as Grover made his way out of the room.

"So, you must be the demigods Grover sensed. May I ask your names and age?"

"Percy Jackson, I'm 14," Percy replied uncertainly, seriously wondering if this place was even safe.

"Annabeth Chase and I'm also 14, nice to meet you," Annabeth stated, holding on to Percy's hand.

Before Thalia and Nico could introduce themselves, Chiron held up a hand and got out of his wheelchair, which made him spring into his full centaur form. The four gasped in shock and stepped backwards, ready to fight at a moment's notice.

"Don't worry, children, I won't hurt you. I was just surprised, you guys are 14 and I would assume, have been together as a group of four. Your scent grows stronger to monsters when you pass the age of 13 and living together will certainly attract many more monsters. It is a wonder that you're all still alive. No offense, of course," Chiron explained.

The four lowered their guard and continued introducing themselves.

"The name's Thalia, Thalia Grace, also 14."

Sighing, Nico felt more and more left out. He was the youngest and the least experienced in their group, but he introduced himself nonetheless. "I'm Nico di Angelo and I'm… 12."

Chiron nodded. "And do any of you have any special powers that might determine your godly parents?"

Reluctant to tell a complete stranger about what they could do, they shook their heads in denial.

"Your godly parents should claim you soon. You're meant to be claimed when you reach 13, but it seems that none of you have been so, at least as of yet. You should be claimed soon, most likely at tonight's campfire. For the time being, you may get comfortable in the Hermes cabin, which is where the unclaimed kids go, but don't get too attached, because you might not necessarily remain there. Grover will take you on a tour of the camp grounds," Chiron explained, just as Grover walked in. The guy must have had pretty sharp hearing.

"Grover, take them on the standard camp tour, then take them to the Hermes cabin and get them settled before dinner. Also, tell them the camp rules and introduce them to things here, would you?"

Grover nodded and waved his arms, signalling them to follow. They complied.

Along the way, he explained to them about Greek mythology and each of the twelve main gods as they visited each of their cabins. They learnt that Hermes was the god of messengers and that his cabin was packed full of unclaimed kids.

They also visited the strawberry fields, where many of the Demeter kids were, the archery range and many other training facilities. It wouldn't be as relaxing as they had thought.

Grover explained the daily routines of cabin checks, breakfast, then training, lunch, more training and after dinner, there was usually a campfire gathering, where all the cabins would come together at the fire just for the enjoyment of it. He reiterated the fact that this would most likely be when they were claimed, as many had been at this time before.

Percy honestly saw a future in this place and everything seemed so real. It probably was, of course, but after being on the run all their lives, it was normal to have doubts. Annabeth, being the smarter one in the group actually saw the place as safe and voiced it once they were settled in their room of the Hermes cabin. Nico couldn't care less, while Thalia was silently hopeful. Hopeful that her lifelong dream had come true. She would be protected, shielded from certain dangers that she had faced all her life and have a parent-like figure there for her. She already liked Chiron, from the moment they met.

As they settled into the over-filled Hermes cabin and talked, they discovered that there were kids here much younger than themselves who had still to be claimed. They were lucky that they were found early, but for some others, who looked new, were not. They were around Nico's age and had massive injuries that could only be caused by monsters.

After what seemed like a while of discussion, they heard that the cabin had begun to start leaving, most likely for dinner. They remembered that this would be held at the Dining Pavilion and they were to sit with their cabin.

Following the rituals of offering food to the gods, the group wasn't sure if they were happy or nervous for the night's campfire.

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**A/N: Yeah, this is shorter than my other chapters, but I wanted the campfire stuff for a new chapter and I needed to get this done quickly. I really wanted to do a Christmas chapter :D **

**Also, I know this is really cliché, but I want to start a new fic, titled 'Goode Boarding High' or 'Goode Boarding School', whichever seems better. The title basically tells it all, so just imagine Goode High as a boarding school. Pairings will be Percabeth, Thalico, Jeyna and Lazel, with a few side pairings and OCs. **

**Please let me know if you would be interested in such a story and if so, I will start to write it and see how everything goes! Warning though, if I'm working on two stories at the same time, I won't update as often, especially when school starts again. **

**Thanks for reading and please leave a review!**

**- xHadesChildx**


	7. Campfire

**A/N: Hi guys, **

**Yes, I do realise I haven't updated in around two weeks, even though I promised I'd do so weekly. Excuse? I was on holiday where I had no access to a computer I could use, nor frequent access to internet. Sorry! Don't hate me that this chapter wasn't particularly long either, because a lot happened in it .. right?**

**I think now is the time to ask, do you guys prefer:**

**A – Longer chapters, less frequent updating (2 – 3 weeks at most with around 2000+ words, give or take)**

**OR**

**B – Shorter chapters, more frequent updating (Weekly at most with less than 2000 words)**

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Chapter 7 – Campfire

The four made their way cautiously to the campfire together, nervously sitting around, waiting for what could have been the best, but also the worst, to happen. They couldn't wait for their godly parents to claim them, if they were even demigods, yet they didn't want to be claimed at the same time.

The four of them were so different to the extent that even they all knew they wouldn't have the same godly parents and therefore, would have to be separated. This included for sleeping quarters, during meals and around the campfire. That left very little time to be together, if at all.

After living a life of fear and relying on those they came to camp with, it would inevitably be hard to separate and try to trust those that were here and not flee, choosing a life with monsters just to be with the ones that made the others feel safe, rather than a permanently safe haven.

With a few nervous glances, the four waited for what seemed like forever for the camp director, Mr D, to speak. They were told that he was, in fact, Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and drama. However, he did not speak, for he wasn't even with the campers that night.

"Today, among many others, I'd like to welcome our four newest campers, who have yet to be claimed. They are Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, Thalia Grace and Nico Di Angelo. Please show them around and treat them easily if you see them during your daily activities," Chiron introduced politely, while gesturing towards the four, who were just about huddled together, as he spoke.

They received mostly confused looks and a few sympathetic glances, most likely due to the fact that they were teenagers and had lived without Camp Half-Blood for their entire lives. It was, well, unfathomable to imagine, at the least, yet they had done it. Also, most demigod children were to be claimed at around the age of 13, usually no later, except for a few of the children of the minor gods, who were left to be unclaimed for almost all their lives.

"Would you like to introduce yourselves? Or do you prefer for the usual campfire rituals to be…" Chiron was interrupted mid-question by a loud rumble of thunder from above.

Suddenly, a glowing yellow shape appeared above Thalia's head, making her friends beside her yelp in surprise.

"What? What is it?" Thalia asked, confused as to why everyone was looking at her.

"Y-you have a lightning bolt on your head, Thales…" Annabeth answered nervously.

"I-I what?!" Thalia asked. "Lightning bolt… Zeus? Are you telling me I'm a daughter of Zeus?"

"Yes, very good. The symbol above your head is the Master Bolt, the symbol of Zeus, king of Olympus. You are his first demigod child since quite some time…" Chiron informed, then began to muse to himself.

It sounded as if the thunder was growing louder; however, it was not thunder that was making the intense growling noise, but the ground. The ground on which the campers all sat began to tremble as miniscule cracks formed, growing larger by the second. A cold feeling erupted from the cracks, almost sucking the life out of those near it, causing major panic. Only Nico himself and Chiron remained calm, for they knew what was happening. Well, honestly, Nico didn't know, but he always had a connection to the world below and was therefore unaffected by whatever forces that were emitted.

The symbol of Hades glowed with dark energy above Nico's head, however, in the panic; it went by unnoticed by everyone except Chiron. It was the first time this had happened in quite a while, especially two demigods being claimed at the same time as children of the Big Three. But that was not all that there was to happen tonight.

Suddenly, bubbling hot water emerged from the cracks, as they grew, while lightning rumbled in the background. At this, a bright blue trident appeared atop the head of Percy Jackson, however, it also went unnoticed by most.

Like the silence before the storm, but this time after, all went quiet. The thunder and lightning stopped simultaneously with the conclusion of the rumbling earth and bubbling water. The campers who were preparing for some sort of battle to come realised the sudden change in atmosphere and froze, unsure of how to proceed, but eyeing the four newcomers with hate, assuming they brought this along with them. In all technicalities, they had.

As the calm began, an owl, the sign of Athena, appeared above the head of Annabeth Chase. Now, all four demigods had glowing symbols above their heads, however, Thalia's was beginning to fade.

"Calm! Everything is perfectly alright!" Chiron called out to the campers, who were no doubt on edge.

Reluctantly, the campers lowered whatever weapons they had in hand at Chiron's direction and, for the first time, noticed that the four demigods had been claimed. It was to everyone's great surprise, especially Chiron's, to find that they were all claimed at the same time, for such a large number of demigods were rarely ever claimed simultaneously, much less with such an amount of dramatic effects from the gods to go with it.

With a deep sigh from Chiron, he began to explain the situation. "Alright, so our four newcomers of today have been claimed and may I introduce; Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus, Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, Nico Di Angelo, son of Hades and last but not least, Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena. Please make them feel welcome and I'd like you all to know that what happened tonight is no fault of theirs. The gods sent their children here… I sense something is coming… Something big…" He trailed off, leaving the campers standing there, unsure how to respond.

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**A/N: CLIFFHANGER! What's Chiron talking about? Something big… huh? **

**Review and follow to find out!**

**- xHadesChildx**


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